Do you own a Belkin TuneBase in-car iPod dock? Did you buy it after 1 April this year? If so, Belkin would very much like to have it back.
It's worried that the thing could catch fire. A washer within the cigarette lighter power adaptor could short out, it said today, causing smoke and, possibly, flames too.
Belkin TuneBase FM …
Imported from the U.S.A. as they weren't available in Australia at the time, and I find out about the recall on a U.K. website. It really is a small world.
I've got one of these and will be checking out the website today. I do leave it connected almost all the time, although I don't think there is any power to the socket when the ignition is off.
My experience of the device has been very good (MX5, so not much between the device and the car aerial probably helps). The clearscan never worked, but I have one preset right at the bottom of the available spectrum and one right at the top and both work great in my part of Surrey)
Yes, sound quality isn't mind blowing, but it's good enough and having the 3.5mm jack for a cassette adaptor will be handy if I do ever visit somewhere with more tightly packed airwaves!
The moral of the story is that if you would have resisted the temptation to get one of those mp3 players from Crapple and bought a real PMP, you wouldn't have needed to score one of these recalled units.
I'm with you on this Winky... It pulled the lighter fitting right out in my car too.
The readout that shows you the FM freq to tune to died on mine a few weeks ago. I'll get my replacement, stick it on ebay and put that towards getting a wired base into my car radio.
I guess that they built the thing to the exact specifications dictated by Apple for iStuff and forgot to remove the "burst into flames" functionality like most OEMs do.
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Belkin recalls fire-risk in-car iPod kit
Do you own a Belkin TuneBase in-car iPod dock? Did you buy it after 1 April this year? If so, Belkin would very much like to have it back. It's worried that the thing could catch fire. A washer within the cigarette lighter power adaptor could short out, it said today, causing smoke and, possibly, flames too. Belkin TuneBase FM …
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Posted Friday 23rd October 2009 15:51 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Not the obvious culprit #
I'd have suspected the ipod of going up first if I came to the smouldering wreckage...
Posted Saturday 24th October 2009 00:11 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Thanks for the warning #
I've got the one with Clearscan - I've just filled in the form and have to wait for Belkin to contact me within the next week with more instructions.
Posted Saturday 24th October 2009 00:11 GMT
Bastard Sheep
Wow, I have one of the affected models too. #
Imported from the U.S.A. as they weren't available in Australia at the time, and I find out about the recall on a U.K. website. It really is a small world.
Posted Saturday 24th October 2009 08:08 GMT
Jelliphiish
where do they get their kit? #
i thought they just repackagedother people's oem kit..
icon: here be (re)badgers
Posted Saturday 24th October 2009 08:08 GMT
CanaDanimal
Total POS - the base, not the iPod #
Bought this crappy thing from the Apple store, should be called the "iSuck" adaptor the iPod.
Wish mine caught fire...
Posted Saturday 24th October 2009 08:08 GMT
Winkypop
I've had one of those #
Damn near useless too.
Poor sound.
Once the thing is inserted into the lighter hole (BA Falcon) it's darn near impossible to get it out again.
Last time it brought the whole fitting and wires with it!
I've binned mine since.
Bah!
Posted Monday 26th October 2009 10:12 GMT
James Pickett (Jp)
Thank You! #
I've got one of these and will be checking out the website today. I do leave it connected almost all the time, although I don't think there is any power to the socket when the ignition is off.
My experience of the device has been very good (MX5, so not much between the device and the car aerial probably helps). The clearscan never worked, but I have one preset right at the bottom of the available spectrum and one right at the top and both work great in my part of Surrey)
Yes, sound quality isn't mind blowing, but it's good enough and having the 3.5mm jack for a cassette adaptor will be handy if I do ever visit somewhere with more tightly packed airwaves!
Posted Monday 26th October 2009 10:12 GMT
Hardcastle
Belkin iSpoo kit #
The moral of the story is that if you would have resisted the temptation to get one of those mp3 players from Crapple and bought a real PMP, you wouldn't have needed to score one of these recalled units.
Mine is the one with the Cowon D2 in the pocket.
Posted Monday 26th October 2009 10:12 GMT
Anonymous Coward
POS... #
I'm with you on this Winky... It pulled the lighter fitting right out in my car too.
The readout that shows you the FM freq to tune to died on mine a few weeks ago. I'll get my replacement, stick it on ebay and put that towards getting a wired base into my car radio.
Posted Monday 26th October 2009 10:12 GMT
JaitcH
Seems to be a matched pair #
The smoking iPod gets a matching car mounted igniter.
That should send car insurance premiums rocketing!
Posted Monday 26th October 2009 10:12 GMT
Anonymous Coward
Purchase dates? #
Not sure where they got the dates from, I have one of these models which was bought 18 months ago.
Posted Monday 26th October 2009 10:12 GMT
TeeCee
As per spec? #
I guess that they built the thing to the exact specifications dictated by Apple for iStuff and forgot to remove the "burst into flames" functionality like most OEMs do.
Posted Monday 26th October 2009 13:51 GMT
Valerion
Wonderful #
I've got 2 of those - a normal Clearscan one bought from the UK and a hands-free one I bought in the US.
I don't see why everyone hates them, I think they're great.
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